Power means for boats



De. 4, 1962 w. l.. MORSE 3,066,441

Y POWER MEANS FOR BOATS Filed Aug. 14. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. w/L4 /A M, L. MORSE- Afro/min Dec. 4, 1962 w. 1 MORSE POWER MEANS FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14. 1961 iinited States Patent hhldi atented Dec. 4, ld?.

3,6%,441 NEWER MEANS FOR BOATS William L. Morse, llssaquah, Wash., assigner to Pre-Controis, lne., Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington Fired Aug. 14, 1961, Ser. No. idf/2,469 3 Claims. (Cl. 46 95) This invention relates to boats. More particularly, it has reference to a toy boat that is equipped with a water jet propulsion means.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a boat in the nature of a toy or for uses otherwise, containing a water storage cylinder from which a water jet may be forcibly discharged into the body of water in which the boat is oated in such manner as to effect the propulsion of the boat.

it is also an object of this invention to provide a boat of the character above stated wherein power for expulsion of the propelling jet of water is supplied by atmospheric air pressure created incident to the drawing of a vacuum in a cylinder mounted in the boat as a companion of the water storage cylinder and which vacuum cylinder contains a piston through which the force of atmospheric air is transmitted to a power piston fitted in the water storage cylinder.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a power unit comprising a pair of coextensive cylinders, each tted with a piston and wherein said pistons are operatively joined through the mediacy of their piston rods for reciprocal action in unison; one piston being operable in one direction to suck water into its cylinder and operable in the opposite direction to expel water from its cylinder as a propelling jet; the other piston being movable in opposite directions, rst to draw a vacuum in its cylinder and then for powering the water jet piston.

Further objects and advantages of the invention include the greatly increased extent of travel or lineation of the boat and in the provision of valves for the water cylinder to control iiow in its intake and discharge passages, and in the character of and mode of operation of the valves and pistons as associated with the air and waters cylinders.

Further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the various details of construction and combination of its parts and in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

ln accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, i have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a longitudinal section of a toy boat, equipped with a power unit embodied by and applied in accordance with the objects ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, sectional view, taken on line 2 2 in FIG. 1, showing the relationship of the water and vacuum cylinders and the joined piston rods as connected with the two pistons.

FIG. 3 is a forward end view of the power unit as applied in the boat in FIG. l.

FiGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 4 4 and 5 5, in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken on line 6 6 in FIG. 5.

FiG. 7 is a longitudinal section of a jet producing power unit of an alternative form of construction.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken on line 8 8 in FiG. 7.

FiG. 9 is a longitudinal section of a part of a boat containing a power unit of yet another form.

FIG. l is a vertical cross-section, taken on line iti-iti in FIG. 9.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In FIG. l, I have designated a typical form of toy boat by reference numeral iti which boat is shown to be equipped with a power unit embodied byl this invention and herein designated in its entirety by reference numeral l2. Preferably, the boat hull would be molded of a suitable plastic to simulate a cabin cruiser and the power unit l2 would be ixedly mounted therein in its central longitudinal line and preferably in the stern end portion thereor" as therein shown.

It is also shown in FG. l that the power unit i2 is supported in a forwardly and slightly upwardly inclined position, resting at its rear end on the boat bottom and at its forward end on a cross-rib i3 that is integrally cast with the boat hull. However, the relative dimensions of parts or" both boat and power unit may be changed as required to meet requirements or desires, without departing from the spirit otV the invention. Likewise the materials used in their making may be selected to best suit condition or desires.

The power unit i2, as shown in horizontal section in FiG. 2, comprises a pair of cylinders l5 and in, here shown to have equal diameters and to be coextensive in length, they are joined across their rear ends and sealed by a cylinder head plate 1'? and are open to their full diameters at their forward ends.

The cylinder l5 has a piston l reciprocally fitted therein and likewise the cylinder le has a piston i9 reciprocally tted therein. These pistons are joined to a piston rod assembly which comprises a pair of rods 21 and 22, each cast in the form of a cross as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. rThese rods reciprocally lit in their respective cylinders and are joined at their inner ends to their respective or corresponding pistons LS and i9 by suitable means, such as by the set screws, as shown at 23 in FIG. 2.

At their outer ends the two piston rods 2i and 22 are joined by an integral cross-member or head Z5, formed at a medial point with a hole 26 to which a pull cord 27 is attached and which cord extends forwardly and from the hull through a hole 2d in the boats prow where it is fixed by a ring 29 to a small anchor 30 serving as a handle or pull member.

The pistons i8 and i9 are molded of plastic and are equipped peripherally with flexible sealing anges i3 and 19 that automatically seal under the pressure of gas or liquid applied thereagainst. Cast integrally with the rear end of the power unit, as a part of the cylinder head plate 17 is a block or lug 32 that projects downwardly therefrom through the boat bottom in its center line. Formed in this lug, as best shown in FiG. 6 are downwardly and rearwardly directed channels 3S and 36. each of which opens at its inner or upper end through the cylinder head 17 into the cylinder f5 and at their lower ends open to the rear vertical edge of the lug. Channel 35 is somewhat greater in diameter than channel 36 and is used in the charging of the cylinder 15 with water. The channel 36 opens at its lower end into an enlargement 37 thereof and this is directed horizontally rearward through the lug.

To charge the cylinder- 315 with water, and at the same time to create a condition of vacuum in cylinder lo the two piston rods are pulled forwardly -by the use of pull cord 27 and hand hold 3?. As they are drawn forwardly, water is sucked into the cylinder l5' through channels 35 and 35 while vacuum is drawn in the closed end portion of cylinder lo. The greater the extent of forward travel of the pistons in their cylinders, the greater will be Athe volume of water drawn into the cylinder l5 but the vacuum when once created in cyiinder l5 will remain constant during travei of its piston.

When the cylinder l5 has been charged to a desired extent, the boat is placed properly in the water of a lal: tank, or pool and reieased for travel. The lvacuum pull against piston 19 or what is the pressure of atmospheric air against its forward end, will force the piston rearwardly and through the connected piston rods this will cause piston i3 to move and force water from cylinder l5 through 3d thus to create the boat propelling jet. Water is restrained from discharge through channel by a plastic flapper valve member d@ applied to the inner face of the piston head over the end of said channel. The jet channel 3e, in this instance is quite small, yet the jet therefrom will effectively and adequately propel the boat for an extended period of time.

It is to be understood that the particular cross sectional shape of the piston rods gives them strength and rigidity and will guide the rods in their travel in their respective cylinders.

ln FIG. 7, I have shown an alternative form of power unit wherein a single cylinder 5h is divided medially of its ends by a head 5l fixed therein thus to define axially aligned cylindrical chambers 52 and 53 in its forward and rearward ends, respectively. In this device a piston rod Se is reciprocally slidable through the head 5l in a joint sealing bearing 5d and is equipped at its opposite ends with pistons 55 and 56 that move in unison from end to end of their respective cylinders. A pull rod 57 is attached to the rear end of rod 5d` and extended through the transom wall of the boat to which the device is applied and is there equipped with a pull ring 5S.

Formed along the bottom of cylinder 5h, at a medial location, is a keel-like liange d@ that extends through and below the boat bottom. rl`his is provided with a channel 6l that leads upwardly into the head 5l and there turns rearwardly into the forward end of cylinder 53. Likewise, there is a jet channel d2 that leads from the forward end of cylinder S3 downwardly into the flange 60 then turns rearwardly and opens through its rear edge to discharge water as a jet therefrom. The top end of channel 61 is covered by a plastic fiapper valve member 65 that opens under suction in the cylinder. In this device the channel di is the filling channel for cylinder 53 and the channel 62 is the channel from which water is discharged under force of vacuum and provides the propelling jet. j

To charge this form of device, the user grasps the pull ring 58 and pulls both pistons rearwardly. As this takes place, water is drawn into cylinder 53 through channel 6l and a vacuum is drawn in cylinder 52 forwardly of piston 55. The boat is then placed in the water and released. As the piston rod 54 is drawn forwardly by that force resulting from the vacuum in cylinder 5.2, water is discharged under pressure of piston 56 from the cylinder 53 through channel 62 thus creating a boat propelling jet.

It is shown in FIG. 7 that the forward and rear ends of this cylinder 5f) are closed and sealed by heads 68-68 and that the head @SS is equipped with a port a9 containing a ball check valve 7@ which sustains vacuum but which may be forced open by piston action for expulsion of water in the event any should seep into the cylinder, Also, a port 7l is formed in the cylinder wall adjacent bulk head 5l for expulsion of seepage into cylinder 52.

Yet another form of power unit is shown in FIGS. 9 and l0. This unit is substantially like that of FIG. 7 in principle and operation and to these views, like reference numerals have been applied to designate corresponding parts. However in the IEG. 9 device, a hand pump mechanism '75 is operable by a pivoted handle 76 to forcibly charge the cylinder with water drawn through channel 'lo' rearwardly of the piston therein, and to thereby eect the drawing of a vacuum in the Vspace between the bulk head Si and the vacuum holding piston S5. Water is adapted to be discharged from the water cylinder through a jet channel 77 controlled by a hand valve to effect boat propulsion. This type of propulsion is especially desirable for lake fishing boats and is not necessarily confined to use for propulsion of toy boats.

The most notable advantages in the use of a boat that is powered by jet propulsion resides in the increased length of travel over similar boats as provided by spring operated propellers and in the absence of propeller noises; this being especially desirable when using the boat for fishing purposes. Furthermore, a boat so powered avoids propeller entanglement with water vegetation.

What l claim as new is:

l. A boat propulsion means comprising a cylindrical tube closed at its opposite ends and fixed in the boat lengthwise thereof, a bulkhead in said tube between its ends to define a vacuum cylinder at its forward end and a water pressure cylinder at its rearward end, an air inlet in said `vacuum cylinder, a longitudinal fin formed on the tube along its lower side and projecting downwardly therefrom through the boat bottom, a piston fitted reciprocally in each of said cylinders, a rod projecting through said bulkhead and joining said pistons for their reciprocal movement in unison, a water inlet passage opening into one end of said water cylinder, a water discharge passage leading from said water cylinder to the rear end edge of the f1n, manual means attached to said rod for moving the pistons in the tube to cause a vacuum to be drawn in the vacuum cylinder and to effect the filling of the water cylinder by suction.

2. A boat propulsion means according to claim l wherein the water inlet passage is equipped with a check Valve to prevent outfiow therethrough and the vacuum cylinder is formed with said air inlet adjacent the bulkhead.

3. In a `boat or the like; a jet propulsion means comprising a cylindrical tube, closed at its ends and divided medially of its ends by a bulkhead defining a vacuum cylinder at one end of the tube and a Water cylinder at its other end, and air inlet into said vacuum cylinder, pistons reciprocally fitted in said cylinders, a piston rod joining said pistons through the bulkhead, for their reciprocal movement in unison, a passage for the flow of water into the water cylinder incident to the movement of the pistons, means for moving said pistons, a water discharge passage leading from the water cylinder for the discharge of a boat propelling jet from said cylinder and means for controlling outflow through said discharge passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,571 Ramsay Dec. 8, 1953 

